1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a valve for selectively permitting the flow of a fluid.
2. Description of Related Art
There is a desire within industries implementing fluid transportation to provide for a fluid routing device which can alter the flow path of a fluid. A popular method of altering the flow path of a fluid is through a valve. The valve selectively opens and closes a port to selectively permit the flow of the fluid therethrough. Many techniques have been used to alternate the valve for selectively opening and closing the port. One solution in the industry involves a shape memory alloy wire for selectively fluidly opening and closing the port. The valve includes a housing and a plunger that is biased along an axis toward the port for closing the port. The valve also includes the shape memory alloy wire. The wire linearly extends along the axis and is coupled to the plunger and the housing. When an electrical current passes through the shape memory alloy wire, the wire contracts along the axis and pulls the plunger away from the port, against the bias, to open the port.
Although effective, the linear actuation of the plunger by the shape memory alloy wire along the axis requires contraction and expansion of the shape memory alloy member sufficient to move the plunger to open and close the port. As such, the shape memory alloy wire must extend a sufficient length along the axis to facilitate enough movement of the plunger to open and close the port, which in-turn increases the size of the valve. As such, there remains a need to provide an improved valve.